It is a saddening thing to stand by the edge of the open grave, and see dust returned to the dust. One, perhaps, with whom we have often taken sweet counsel, upon whose arm we have leant, whose soul has touched our soul, with whom we had all things in common, even to the secrets of the heart, is entombed. The cold earth must hide him, and even affection must hasten to bury him out of sight. But that very body thus consigned to corruption is yet to come forth a glorious body, when death shall be swallowed up of life. That which is sown in dishonour is to grow in glory, if united to Him who is the resurrection and the life, who has abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light in the gospel. Its home for ever is to be-- "The city of the golden pavement-- Seat of endless festival." --And thus do we glance at the Spirit's fruit in the soul--or God's religion, not man's--as the crown and consummation of life. We have looked at it as it /should/ reign in the Heart: /Does/ it reign there? We have studied it as presiding in our Homes, and leading all who are there in the "way of the Lord:" To what extent has that been accomplished? We have gone, with the lamp of life in our hand, into the Workshop of the artisan, and tried to tell how it ennobles toil by sanctifying him who toils. We have taken that lamp, and tried to shed its light upon the Marts of business; and is it the case that our merchandise and our hire are holiness to the Lord? We have referred to what should be the ascendency of God's truth in our Social Intercourse; and if it preside there, we are not far from the kingdom of heaven; nay, we are within its sacred borders, and the crown of all will be glory, honour, and immortality, through Jesus Christ our Lord. FOOTNOTES --------- 1 See Rom. v. 6, and compare Acts v. 31. 2 Ps. li. 10. 3 Ezek. xxxvi. 26. 4 Jonathan Edwards. 5 John Albert Bengel. 6 Thomas Halyburton. 7 Pascal. 8 Matt. vi. 25-33. 9 See the Domestic Constitution, by Christopher Anderson. 10 Discourses on the application of Christianity to the Commercial and Ordinary affairs of life.--Discourse VI. 11 See a remarkable little volume, "Memoirs of Harlan Page." 12 1 Cor. iv. 3, 4.